Heather Sison, Senior Head of Investment Operations & Services, CalSTRS

Heather Sison is the Senior Head of Investment Operations & Services at CalSTRS, where she will play a key role in investment and branch operations for the Investment Office.  In this role, Heather Sison oversees the operational infrastructure supporting the investment portfolio across public and private asset classes. She is responsible for ensuring efficient and compliant execution of investment transactions, managing operational risk, and optimizing processes for branch services.

Prior to CalSTRS, Heather served as the Head of Investment Services at CalPERS. Heather began her 16-year career at CalPERS on the Private Equity team. She transitioned to Operations and provided leadership to CalPERS Investment executives and leaders, developing and managing their Strategic Plan, supporting their strategic investment direction by managing a $2.1 billion budget, leading cost effectiveness and expense recognition initiatives and reporting to ensure compliance with Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS), and directing all  investment contracting and sourcing operations for market data, analytics platforms, trading and portfolio management systems, and external public asset investment manager relationships.

She has driven improvements in investment management and financial reporting with use of technology, including the development of a business intelligence (BI) tool for investment expense management that was nominated for a “Best of California” award.

Heather has over 20 years of experience in the financial industry and investments and worked as a CMBS Credit Analyst in the private sector prior to public service.

Heather earned her BS from the University of California, at Davis.